


Getting Away From Everyone

by ellamaraschino



Category: Split (2016)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, High School, a teacher is concerned for casey's wellbeing because the author says so, before the events of split, casey gets detention a lot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:47:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23061196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellamaraschino/pseuds/ellamaraschino
Summary: Casey started getting moodier, more annoyed with people, started getting angrier at certain kinds of people throughout the year, snapping at the teachers and getting sent to the office on a regular basis. No one understood why. No one cared to ask. No one drew any connections. No one watched the progression from missing classwork to lashing out, that the one thing these all got her was time alone. Even if they did, no one would wonder why she wanted time alone.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	Getting Away From Everyone

The classroom is nearly empty. There are only two other kids sitting in detention with Casey, all in far away seats, who pay her the exact lack of attention she's been dreaming of all week as she scribbles quick doodles into her spiral notebook. Cold hands fumble into her book bag, looping the wires of her earbuds around her index finger, ready to pull from. "Can I listen to music?" Casey checks quietly, shaking her hair out of her face to look up at her teacher.

Her name is Ms. Caventer. Rhymes with Lavender. To put it in simple terms, she's objectively a lot nicer than most of the faculty and makes time to help others out if they need it. Casey's always respected her. Offering her student a warm smile, the young woman nods and emits a soft 'mhm' before turning back to her novel. Casey wonders if she has anything that she's running away from to always pick up these extra shifts with the detention kids. She seems completely content.

Casey extracts the tangled, white wires and fixes them, plugging the little cable into her phone and tapping on [a song from one of her playlists.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ENvLcRDCsQ)

It started with extra credit. But they stopped giving it to her; started running out of work to give her. They said she was all caught up and more and that she shouldn't worry about it until the next semester. Then it was ' _missing_ ' assignments, which was odd to her teachers because Casey was great at school. Those were an easy pass to get the 'after school time' that most kids dreaded. That most kids would quickly shake their heads at and promise to just do the work at home. But then she completed all of that too. She stopped turning in papers late because she didn't like the half-credit and worse, getting grilled by her uncle when she got home.

Casey started getting moodier, more annoyed with people, started getting angrier at certain kinds of people throughout the year, snapping at the teachers and getting sent to the office on a near to regular basis. No one understood why. No one cared to ask. No one drew any connections. No one watched the progression from missing classwork to lashing out, that the one thing these all got her was time alone. Even if they did, no one would wonder why she _wanted_ time alone.

But Ms. Caventer did one day.

* * *

"Hey Casey!" beamed the easygoing English teacher as everyone packed up to leave class. "Can I talk to you for a sec? You're not in trouble." she shakes her head with a bright smile. Not that Casey would have cared if she were. The brunette takes a subtle look around them before approaching her desk and giving Ms. Caventer her full attention.

"I just wanted to pull you aside really quick. I heard about what happened in Mrs. Russo's class." For background, Casey said she fucking hated her class and everyone else did too and when she got told to leave, she flipped her off on her way out.

"Yeah, I'm sorry that was—"

"No no. You don't owe me that. . . But can I just ask you why?"

Casey loses any eye contact she previously had with the other. She doesn't respond. She doesn't want to lie.

"Because I just. ." Ms. Caventer sighs. "Well, I know that isn't _you_. The behavioral reports this year, they aren't _you_. It's like, when I read them I envision a different person entirely. I know this year has been hard for you and I can see you struggling more and. ."

Casey turns her head, watching the door. She hopes someone will walk in and need either of them for something.

". . You don't have to tell me what's going on. You don't have to go into any detail. But just know that I see you. And you _can_ talk to me, if you want. And I'm monitoring detention this afternoon so you don't need to worry about Russo."

"Thanks." she nods softly. Makes it real casual.

"Yeah, no, anytime." she shrugs. "I'll let you get to your class."

"Okay." Casey offers her quick a smile, forced but proof of effort and indication that, though quietly, she does appreciate it.

* * *

The walk home was one of the best parts about detention. It's quiet. The sun is usually setting. There are trees blowing in the autumn wind, leaves scattered around the grass. No one's really around at this time except for the after school activity kids. Casey could never find one that stuck or else she'd be there instead of paying for whatever disrespectful performance she put on hours before.

Claire Benoit is loitering on the concrete steps, scrolling idly through her phone. She's probably waiting for a ride. Claire has never spoken to Casey once in her life, only sharing fast glances in the hallway and trying not to stare as Casey gets herself into a verbal battle with one of their teachers, disrupting the class.

Casey takes one glance at her and per usual, minds her business without even a 'hey'. She merely hops down the steps past her, starting down the sidewalk path to her house. Claire looks up and once she realizes who's in front of her, immediately grabs her purse and scurries to follow up behind her.

"Casey!"

 _Oh. Awesome._ The brunette turns around.

"Hey! Um. What's up?" asks Claire, civil and polite. Claire was never a bitch. She doesn't start rumors, she doesn't go out of her way for drama. If anything, she's what all the neighborhood moms would consider a 'nice girl'. Though a little full of herself, nice nonetheless. But her and Casey are two different people entirely and people like Claire don't _get_ why people like Casey are the way they are.

Casey stares down at the blonde and shrugs a little awkwardly. "Nothing. What's up?" she mirrors.

"Uh well- I'm having this like, class birthday lunch at the mall for Marcia on Friday. . You're welcome to come if you want, my dad is paying for everyone."

Casey tries not to look too interested at another excuse to be away from her house. And free food. "Oh cool. Thanks." she nods.

"Yeah, no problem."

The two exchange numbers and Casey walks off with a new thing to do with herself this week. It'll be nice not having to kiss John's ass for him to buy groceries for the week. It gets tiring to have to steal shit from stores all the time just so she can have a scrap to eat for the night. Casey glares at the ground as she thinks of going home, walking slow. . taking the long way home. . considering not even going home at all. It's not even home, not really. It's a house that she takes shelter in while her uncle downs three beers in one hour and watches hockey until he passes out.

Casey kicks a rock down the street.

_Whatever. That's just how life goes. Just think of the free food on Friday._


End file.
